In this series we examine the biblical records of the 12 tribes of Israel, the sons of Jacob, the great grandsons of Abraham.

What do these records matter to you?

What do these records tell you about our God?

Issacher – 5^th son of Leah

Genesis 30:¹⁷ And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. ^{18And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.}

Jacob’s blessing

Genesis 49: ¹And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. ^{2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.}

^{14Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: 15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.}

Issachar’s position in the wilderness wandering (east side)

Numbers 2:¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ^{2Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.}

^{5And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.6} And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

Moses blesses the tribes of Israel – Issachar

Deuteronomy 33:¹And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. ^{2And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. 3Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.}

¹⁸ And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.^{19They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.}

The 144,000 sealed

Revelation 7:¹ And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. ^{2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.}  Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

Questions for reflection

1) Do you understand Leah’s reason for naming Issacher?

2) What does Jacob’s blessing mean to you?

3) What does Moses’ blessing mean to you?

4) Why do you suppose God documented these records for you and me?

5) What do you learn about God from these records?

6) What lessons do you take from these records?

Our Focus -Hebrews 12:¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our challenge- Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good  plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti